Mary Baldwin McCoy Allen

Mary Baldwin McCoy Allen of West Palm Beach, FL, passed away, peacefully in her sleep, on September 27. 2025, at the age of 84. This loss leaves a tremendous hole in the hearts and souls of her friends and family. The greater loss, however, has been to the community of Palm Beach County; the state of Florida; and the United States of America; to which she served, faithfully, through her decades of leadership and service to many civic and religious organizations.

Mary was born in Danville, Kentucky, December 27, 1940, to Father, J. Hamilton McCoy, and Mother, Raye Baldwin McCoy. Mary’s early life was spent in Georgetown, Texas, where both of her parents were celebrated educators: Her father was a professor at Southwestern University, and her mother was a distinguished High School Spanish teacher. McCoy Elementary School in Georgetown, TX, is so named because of Mary’s mother’s dedication to education and leadership in the Georgetown community.

Mary Baldwin McCoy Allen carried on her parents’ legacy of leadership and commitment. She served as Chapter Regent and State Chaplain for the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution - among many other positions. She was an active member and held leadership positions in P.E.O., Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of the American Colonists, and numerous other civic groups.

Mary attended Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, FL. At Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Mary enjoyed 30 years of singing with their highly-celebrated professional choir. Mary found her way to Bethesda after a successful singing career that included contracts with both the Chicago and Kansas City Lyric Theaters, the New York City Opera Touring Company, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and many other Opera companies and professional choruses. As a young woman, Mary was an Alpha Delta Pi scholar at the University of Maryland, where she studied music. Shortly thereafter, she was hired by the U.S. State Department to represent the United States as a soloist in a traveling choir that performed for the “Heads of State” of 20 different countries.

Before her professional career, Mary grew up as a true “Texas Girl,” where she enjoyed horses and nature. She met her one-and-only love, William (Bill) Allen, while he was in the Army and stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, TX. They were married for nearly 60 years.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her son, John Kober Allen; both of her parents; and her sister, Betty McCoy Pearce.

Mary is survived by her son, Michael Baldwin Allen; daughter-in-law, Amy Vandermeer Allen; niece, Erin Chapin Onion; nephew, David Pearce; and an extended network of family and friends that are too numerous to name, but all of whom loved her dearly.

May she Rest In Peace with her beloved Jesus Christ.

Memorial Services will be held Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 11:00AM at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 141 S. County Road, Palm Beach, FL, 33480. The Church can be reached at 561-655-4554, for further details.

In lieu of flowers, the Allen family asks that donations be given to the St. Mary’s Guild of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. www.bbts.org/donate (Select St. Mary’s Guild from the “Fund” drop-down menu, and list Mary Allen in the “In Memory” box.).